I left the church from my brother and sister-in-law's wedding rehearsal on Friday evening following another couple who I had decided to carpool with to the rehearsal dinner downtown. As we made our way taking left and right turns here and there, I was careful to keep a close watch on their car in front of me. Although I knew the area, I was completely unaware how to make my way to their apartment complex where I would leave my car behind. When they turned, I turned. When they stopped, I stopped. They were my guide, and I was not going to lose sight of them. Nearing our destination, we went through a roundabout, and I was delayed by another vehicle. As I came around the curve, I looked around anxiously trying to determine which exit they had taken. "Where are they?" I asked myself knowing that a wrong turn could lead me in a mistaken direction. As I continued around, I thankfully spotted the tail lights of their car and accelerated to continue following. At the end of the book of Exodus, the Israelites too kept their eyes on their Guide careful to follow His leading as they moved forward. Having followed God's instructions to build a tabernacle, His presence came to dwell among them. Exodus 40:34, 36-37 explains that then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle...Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. When He moved, they moved. When He stayed, they stayed. And although God's presence no longer takes the form of a cloud over the tabernacle, His Holy Spirit is present guiding my way today. As I continually strive to keep my eyes on Christ, God calls me to live a life of faith when called to move and equally when directed to wait on Him.
We must be filled with strong faith when God calls us to movement and action. I think of the words of Joshua from the Lord before God's people crossed into the Promised Land. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9) If He has called us and He is with us, what have we to fear? So too do we see this same confidence not in man's power but in God's faithfulness to deliver in the well known recounting of David and Goliath. Before going forward with only a sling and some mere stones, David confidently speaks His confidence in One who will conquer. And David said, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." (1 Samuel 17:37a) Indeed, the Bible is filled with story after story of ordinary, broken people who God calls to move on His behalf and follow His leading. Hebrews Chapter 11, the "faith hall of fame", reminds us of many such who lived by faith, men and women like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, Samson, and Samuel. In our lives, when "the cloud lifts" and the Holy Spirit leads believers to take action, we too must have great faith as we step forward and obey. It may mean something as simple as sharing the glorious truth of Jesus with someone we encounter or much bigger steps like changing careers, moving, beginning or ending relationships, or even suffering on behalf of Jesus. Like the Israelites, in these defining moments may we set out knowing that God's very presence is close and intimate with us every second of the way.
While there are times in which looking to our Guide we are called to action, so too must we have great faith when the Lord commands us to pause and wait. The waiting seems safe enough, but it equally requires great faith in God because we must submit to and recognize His sovereignty and control rather than trying to make a plan and put it into place. Psalm 28:3 is great encouragement in such seasons. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. Just the wording of this verse proves how very difficult such patience can be. Why else would we be commanded to take courage as we wait on His leading? Yet as God takes me through seasons of pausing, seasons of quiet, and seasons of waiting, I must take courage not about my surroundings but concerning the work that He is doing within me. He's refining, He's sanctifying, He's breaking down every idol and concern sinfully taking His rightful place in my heart and life. Even more, I believe that He is protecting and paving a way so that when the cloud again lifts and He draws me to move, I will be better equipped for effectiveness all the while stepping into His plan for my future rather than my own. I may certainly know what I desire or want, but I trust that He knows even better. Tim Keller says it well in stating, "God will only give you what you would have asked for if you knew everything he knows." I acknowledge that I don't come even close to knowing a miniscule piece of the knowledge of God, and in faith I can trust that He is doing more than I can imagine or hope for. Romans 8:32 brings me great hope and peace. He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Salvation through Jesus is the ultimate gift and focus of my life, one that can never be approached by any other blessing. Even still, I can look forward to His goodness knowing that a path marked by His leading will always be right where I want to be.
Going back to Exodus 40, these verses touch my heart so deeply. I want to live in such a way that my eyes are always on Jesus, setting out when He moves me and obediently waiting when He bids me pause. May we do it all in faith and obedience just as He exemplified for us in His death, burial, and resurrection, for the joy set before us and to bring always more glory to His great name! Stop and go, keep your eyes on Him, and follow the lead in faith.
*If you'd like to hear more on Exodus 40 which inspired this post, I recommend this excellent sermon from Pastor Mark at College Park Church: God Among His People
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